Cancer awareness in Georgia: A cross-sectional study of knowledge gaps in symptoms, risk factors, and screening programs

Objective: To assess public awareness of cancer symptoms, risk factors, and available screening programs, and to examine their association with sociodemographic parameters in Georgian population. Methods: A cross-sectional study (2023–2024) surveyed 385 adults via random-digit dialing using the Georgian version of the Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM), which comprises 9 symptom and 11 risk factor items. No stratification or demographic weighting was applied. A pilot test ( n = 20) was conducted prior to ethical approval. Chi-square and t -tests assessed categorical and continuous variables; multivariate analysis used linear regression, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: Among the 385 respondents, 57.7% demonstrated low-to-average awareness of cancer symptoms. Women exhibited significantly greater awareness than men (β = 0.19, B = 1.56, 95%CI: 0.7–2.4; p < 0.001), and awareness was positively associated with household income (β = 0.17, B = 0.67, CI: 0.23–1.1; p < 0.001). Only 5.7% of respondents demonstrated high knowledge of cancer risk factors, with urban residents and those with higher incomes showing significantly greater awareness. Conclusions: Improving cancer awareness and facilitating earlier diagnosis will require scalable, equity-oriented educational initiatives that account for gender and socioeconomic disparities. Implementing such programs across schools, primary care settings, and mass media, alongside the expansion of cancer screening services, may substantially enhance timely detection and reduce inequities in cancer outcomes.